This book
describes warehouse-scale computers
(WSCs), the computing platforms that power cloud computing and all the
great web services we use every day. It discusses how these new systems treat
the datacenter itself as one massive
computer designed at warehouse scale, with hardware and software working in
concert to deliver good levels of internet service performance. The book
details the architecture of WSCs and covers the main factors influencing their
design, operation, and cost structure, and the characteristics of their
software base. Each chapter contains multiple real-world examples, including
detailed case studies and previously unpublished details of the infrastructure
used to power Google’s online services. Targeted at the architects and
programmers of today’s WSCs, this book provides a great foundation for those
looking to innovate in this fascinating and important area, but the material
will also be broadly interesting to those who just want to understand the
infrastructure powering the internet.

The third
edition reflects four years of advancements since the previous edition and nearly
doubles the number of pictures and figures. New topics range from additional
workloads like video streaming, machine learning, and public cloud to
specialized silicon accelerators, storage and network building blocks, and a
revised discussion of data center power and cooling, and uptime. Further
discussions of emerging trends and opportunities ensure that this revised
edition will remain an essential resource for educators and professionals
working on the next generation of WSCs.